Memories

Something we all have but something so different from one another’s.

Something I was thinking of last night was driving from school to practice. Before you could drive you had a couple of options, legally only one but it’s fine. You could either get an upperclassman to drive you or ride the bus.

If you chose the first option you had to choose the person who took you very carefully. Not really but looking back the people who drove me around left an impact on me. They taught me things I hadn’t learned whether they were school-appropriate or not (sorry Papa). It’s crazy how we all chose someone to drive us to practice but we got different experiences out of it. We were going to the same place, but not the same way.

Every upperclassman had a certain route they would take that they swore was the fastest way to get there. I remember “racing” our teammates to practice. We would see them at one light, then we’d separate to go the “quickest” way just to meet up later again.

There were a couple of people who drove me around before I could drive. I’m not going to say them by name but if you’re one of them and you’re reading this know how much I’m grateful for that.

#1 drove me and my friends to softball practice. She was the first one to drive me and I loved her. She had this certain route and we would always go over this huge pothole and she would always act surprised every time like it wasn’t there the day before. She became a friend, not just someone who took me to practice, but someone who poured into me. She taught me how to be fun and silly and how to never pretend to be someone you’re not even if people don’t like you.

#2 took me to tennis. He taught me and a couple of my friends what expectations can do. We would arrive early to practice but then sit in the car until past time before we walked in. You might be thinking “Emma really? That’s so irresponsible” and maybe it was but I never got in trouble. Doing this every single day gave our coach the expectation that we would always be a little bit late to practice. This came in handy if one of us forgot our court shoes or if we were hungry and needed to get food before. If someone who was always on time a little late he would say something to them but never to us. This person taught me a lot, we didn’t get very close but I learned a lot from them just from observation.

#3 took me home from tennis. She was one of the sweetest people I have ever met. Someone who probably has never had a bad thought cross their mind. She was the first person who taught me what a girls girl was. She was silly and we always had fun together. She drove me home even though it was inconvenient for her and out of her way. She taught me what pure kindness is. We didn’t have much time together because she was a senior when I was a freshman but I’ll always remember the memories shared with her.

Sometimes I wonder about what would have happened if I had chosen to ride the bus. Would I have made different friends? Would I be a different person? And I wonder if the people who chose to ride the bus wish they had chosen differently. But then I think about how they now have a different set of memories. Memories I will never understand.

I know it’s so cliche but getting older I do realize that it is more about the journey. I remember more about the people I was with than the things I did. I couldn’t tell you as much about how the softball games went or how the tennis matches ended but I can remember simple things like the rides to practices. And maybe that’s why I’m not pro in any sport or maybe it’s because my legs are 2 inches long but what I’m trying to say is as a generation I believe we should be more present.

I want to have more good memories. I love looking back in my mind at all the things I’ve done and experienced. I want to create more memories. But to do that I need to talk to people, I need to get off my phone and be present.

We all have different memories. I love how different each of our lives is. Whether or not you have a large amount of good memories or a large amount of bad memories you do. have one good memory in there. And guess what? You have so much time to make even better ones.

Now here is where I’m supposed to give you a “call to action.” So here it is. Go have a Summer where you make memories and are present. We’re only getting older. Isn’t it crazy we only have around 75 Summer’s throughout our life? And I’ve already lived 20. Go live YOUR life. It isn’t anyone else’s but yours so why would you let someone else’s opinion run it?

xo, Emma